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Rome has nothing on Florence. When I had gelato in Rome, I thought, "What a disappointment". Fragola (strawberry) flavoured gelato was laced with sugar, and was diluted by water. If gelato in the capital city of Italy sucked, what could I expect from other regions?

Florence is my home away from home, utterly gorgeous, beautiful culture and people, but most of all the best food in Italy! Their gelato is creamy and dense, made with the freshest ingredients, and is simply to die for! My favourite flavour so far? Frutti di bosco, literally translated as fruits of the woods that includes blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and has a yogurt base.

I wanted to go on a cheese tour while in Italy, but the guys at the cheese factory got back to me too late. Sucks, I know. Can you imagine how amazing it would have been to see vats of mozzarella curds being pulled, or those massive rounds of parmigiano reggiano stacked to the sky in a cool cellar to age. I’ll save that adventure for my next trip to Italy. In the meantime, check out the goodies I bought in a local cheese shop in Venice.

A meal in Italy is really a family affair. Surrounded by uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandparents alike, these multi-course meals are focussed on balance. Grains, meat, and vegetables are always a must, and a nice glass of wine never hurt the proceedings. Buon appetito!